(Jamma) "Blitz" by the traffic police, yesterday morning in Bolzano in three city bars to check if the managers had removed the slot machines after receiving the third administrative fine. The municipal police visited the three bars which, after the sentence of the other day, preferred to remove the vending machines in time to avoid closing the exercise. «The pronouncement of the TAR – underlines the deputy commander of the municipal police Martin Schwienbacher – is facilitating our task. Even yesterday, when we showed up in the three bars on the agenda, the vending machines had already been removed. No one actually wants to jeopardize their business. But those who delude themselves that the game against gambling can be considered almost over are very wrong. As Schwienbacher himself confirms, there are ninety establishments that still have slots in the city. «Let's say – continues the deputy commander – that no one takes them off voluntarily before the process is over. I guess there is a willingness to profit from slots until the last day. But for everyone it has now become only a matter of time».
The municipal police, with its "task force" against gambling, is able to proceed, on average, with five notifications a week. "We always have to wait for the go-ahead from Dr. Petilli's economic activities office, who is taking charge of the onerous bureaucratic part". At these rates, therefore, another 18 weeks will be needed, or about 4 months, the State Council permitting. "We are cautiously optimistic and Bolzano could also set a benchmark at a national level".
